Eight Korean webtoon associations form K-WAF to strengthen industry collaboration

Eight associations and organizations representing creators, corporations, academia, and critics of comics and webtoons have come together to collaboratively respond to the development of the webtoon ecosystem.

According to the comics industry on the 17th, eight webtoon associations are forming the 'Korea Webtoon Association Federation' (hereafter referred to as K-WAF), which will officially launch on the 24th. K-WAF includes the Korea Comics Federation, the Webtoon Association, the Korea Comic Story Association, the Korea Webtoon Critics Association, the Korea Webtoon Academy, the Korea Webtoon Industry Association, the Korea Cartoon Association, and the Daejeon Comics Federation.

A federation was established for the webtoon industry to comprehensively address various issues such as creating a legal and institutional framework related to webtoons, standardization of the industry, expansion into foreign markets, improvement of creator environments, and support for corporations. Although the webtoon industry has rapidly developed, there have been ongoing criticisms that various associations and organizations have been voicing their opinions separately.

K-WAF has identified protecting creators' rights and improving the industrial environment as its primary goals. It plans to establish copyright protection and fair contract guidelines and to make policy proposals. The president will be Seobum Kang, chair of the Korea Webtoon Industry Association.

A K-WAF official noted, "By strengthening cooperation within the industry and expanding policy support, we will do our best to ensure that Korean webtoons can establish themselves as global content."

Meanwhile, the opening ceremony for K-WAF will be held on the 24th at the DMC Tower in Mapo-gu, Seoul.